Southend show more polish than Cobblers

Southend have never been in a play-off before but they will fancy their chances of a final appearance in Cardiff after a polished, professional performance that has given them an advantage for Saturday's return leg at Roots Hall.

Neat and compact, the Essex side soaked up everything that Northampton were able to muster but were also aided by some wasteful finishing from the home team. Scott McGleish squandered two excellent first-half opportunities and also headed over in the second period. His forward partner Andy Kirk, whose seven goals in eight appearances following a £125,000 transfer from Boston United helped propel Northampton into the play-off, will also have been disappointed not to have converted a last-minute chance when a poor first touch created an awkward shooting angle.

Yet Northampton's manager Colin Calderwood was not too despondent at his team's performance. After all 12 months ago at the same stage Northampton recorded a second-leg victory at Mansfield only to be knocked out on away goals. "We proved in the play-offs last year that second legs away from home are not a bad place to be," he said. "But I think it would take something special or an unfortunate mistake to win this one. Both teams cancelled each other out and they are very evenly matched."

Northampton did offer more as an attacking unit but they found a Southend rearguard, marshalled excellently by Adam Barrett and Spencer Prior, particularly difficult to break down. Barrett has scored 10 goals from the centre of defence this season, including two at this ground in February, and he nearly added to that tally with a second-half header that should have been better directed. But the substitute Luke Guttridge was awry with Southend's clearest opening, heading wide from only two yards after an inviting Freddy Eastwood cross.

Steve Tilson, Southend's manager, was happy to accept a draw and is well aware that his side will be in the box seat come Saturday. "This was always going to be a tough game for us and was a good result," he said. "This gives us a great chance of going through."

Southend's performance was remarkably upbeat considering their huge disappointment of the previous weekend when they were denied automatic promotion on the final day of the regular season. The second half of their season has been quite staggering; at one stage they put together a 17-match unbeaten run. But if they are to progress from these play-offs Southend will need to break their own Millennium bug - they have played at the Cardiff venue in the last two LDV Vans finals and have lost them both.